Magnus Abe: The Electoral Process in Rivers Was Marred By Violence, I Wasn’t Prepared for War

Senator Magnus Abe, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Candidate for the Rivers State Gubernatorial election has condemned the elections that took place on the 18th of March, 2023.

While speaking on ARISE News on Thursday, Abe condemned the acts of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies. 

The senator claimed that they supported the injustice and violence that happened during the gubernatorial polls, saying that the security agencies were complicit and stood by while people were threatened. 

He then accused INEC of reporting results with suspicious figures for Ahoada West Local Government Area, an LGA which he claimed did not have a complete collation exercise as it was marred by violence.

The SDP candidate also condemned the traditional rulers of Rivers state, claiming that they threatened those in their communities, through the use of town criers, that if they wouldn’t vote for a certain candidate, they should stay home.

 “People were intimidated,” he said, as he went on to say that the citizen’s businesses were threatened as well.

He responded to the allegations of vote buying by the SDP by saying that the party did not send out any amount of money to that effect. He then said that the State, instead of making investigations into the violent happenings and killings during the election, focused instead on how the SDP got tags for the election.

When questioned on how he felt on not winning his Local Government Ward, he said that he was only assured of one vote he could deliver, and that was his vote. 

He further explained, “If the people of my ward decided not to vote for me, it is their choice, and their vote should be respected. I do not have the power to deliver any vote except for my own.”

Abe then said that he would gladly repeat the process all over again, and he was proud that he could stand for his rights as a candidate.

 “Rivers people know who won the election, they also know who did not win the election…I am very proud of the fact that I stood up for my rights and that Rivers people stood with me.”

Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi 

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